LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Win No. 1 for the Aztecs came a month later than expected, and in scary fashion.

I've been fairly optimistic to this point in the season, but watching the Aztecs eke out a 26-16 win against one of the worst teams in college football was a sobering experience.

Rocky Long likes to say there are no moral victories and no ugly wins in football.

Au contraire.

Last week, SDSU lost a game it looked to have won. This week, both the game and the Aztecs looked lost -- or heading in that direction -- by halftime.

Props to SDSU for rallying back to notch the "W" but this was the epitome of an ugly win.

Until the Aztecs came to town, New Mexico State hadn't managed to finish a first quarter with a lead this season.

Against SDSU, the Aggies rolled into the second quarter on a delighted high, and quickly punched in a second touchdown to go up 16-0.

Every other team NMSU has faced this season averaged 50 points against the Aggies.

SDSU had to strain to hit 26.

And now, the 1-3 Aztecs have to gear up a short week to play in their Mountain West opener against Nevada on Friday night.

This could be a rough year.

Here's how I think SDSU graded out against NMSU.

OFFENSE

Grade: D

Yes, football is a team sport, and no one player is responsible for a win or a loss. But really, D.J. Pumphrey saved this game for the Aztecs.

Pumphrey was the only bright spot in another underwhelming offensive effort from SDSU.

The freshman tailback ran for 167 yards, scored all three Aztecs' touchdowns and single-handedly accounted for 37 percent of SDSU's total offensive yardage. In Rocky Long's estimation, the offensive line did a decent job opening holes for Pumphrey to run through, so perhaps that marks some progress.

But once again, you can't go three-and-out thrice, exchange field goals for touchdowns, and expect to compete.

Quarterback Quinn Kaehler threw for 229 yards, completed 64 percent of his passes, and distributed the ball well -- eight different receivers picked up yardage for the Aztecs -- but he also seemed to overthrow the ball a lot, especially when taking shots at the end zone.

Kaehler is what they expected him to be: Efficient, not flashy.

This marked the first game of the year in which SDSU came away with no interceptions, but that took some luck too. Kaehler threw a pick in the third quarter that was called back thanks to a holding penalty on the defense. And his pass on a two-point conversion attempt was intercepted by NMSU.

Though, it's worth nothing that this was the first game since the Aztecs' win over Nevada in October 2012, in which SDSU's quarterbacks have not surrendered an interception. That's a pretty bad stat.

One can only pray that this new streak is extended into next week and beyond.

DEFENSE

Grade: D

The defense also started slow on Saturday night, and NMSU quarterback Andrew McDonald was allowed to sling the ball around as he pleased. McDonald was 10-of-14 for 138 yards in the first quarter, and the Aztecs couldn't take away the pass until after halftime.